Car-fender.



G.. R. OWINGS.

GAR PEN DER.

APPLICATION rmm MAB. 7, 1907 L 2 SHEBT8SHBET 1.

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PATENTED NOV. .19, 1907. G. R. OWINGS.

CAR FENDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAB. v. 1901.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE R. OWINGS, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-EIGHTHS TOLOUIS H. WENTZ, TWO-EIGHTHS TO CHARLES J. BOSAU, AND ONE-EIGHTH TO JOHNS. GILLESPIE, ALL OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-FENDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Tatented Nov. 19, 1907.

Application filed March 7. 1907. Serial No. 351,042.

quently efiective in picking up persons, the

victims frequently fall off after being picked up and are seriouslyinjured.

A further object of the invention is to provide roller supports orcasters of improved form Which are adapted to so oscillate as to followthe curvatures of the track but which are self-centering, and thusnormally maintained in position on or above the track.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is 'a-front elevation of theimproved fender.

Fig. 2 is a side view, the guard portion being shown turned upward indotted lines, as when not in use. Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2,showing the position of the guard frame after it has been sprung andraised. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views of the locking and releasingmechanisms operated by the trip frame. Fig. 6 is a detail View of one ofthe hanger rods, and Fig. 7 is a similar view of the rod locking andreleasing plate. Figs. 8 and 9 are detail views of the caster.

Referring to the drawings, 2 designates the forward portion of the carframe or bumper, and depending therefrom at opposite sides are hangers 3to which are adjustably hinged at 3 the rearward arms 4 of the forwardlyextending guard frame 5. Arms 4 are broken and hinged at 6 so that frame5 may be turned upward when not in use, as shown in dotted lines in Fig.2. Hinge 3 being adjustable, the height of the fender may be varied asdesired.

Secured to bumper 2 are brackets which consist of a horizontal portion 7and a vertical portion 8, and extending upwardly through eachbracket-part 7 is a rod 9 having its lower end pivotally connected at 10to arm 4 forwardly from hanger 3. A coiled spring 11 is confined on theupper portion of rod 9 above bracket 7, as shown.

12 indicates the horizontal bar or member of the inverted bail-shapedtrip frame which has its end portions 13 each hinged between its ends at14 to the upright bracket-part S, and secured at 15 to the lowerextremity of the arm is plate 16 which is adapted to reciprocate beneathbracket part 7. This plate is formed with aperture 17, through which rod9 freely passes, and with the aperture extension 18 of slot form. Rod 9is slotted on opposite sides at 20 so as to be embraced byaperture-portion 18, at which time the rod is locked against verticalmovement.

Hinge-bolt 14 extends through a slot 13 in frame arm 13, being clampedtherein by nut 14, the bolt turning freely as a trunnion in bracket part8. Thus, the exact adjustment and throw of the trip frame is obtained.21 designates the netting, basket, or other similar element which formsthe bottom of the fender, and which is connected at its forward end tothe forward portion of guard frame 5, and at its upper rear end to bar12 of the trip frame.

In operation, the guard frame is normally maintained in lowered positionas in Figs. 1 and 2, this position being opposed to the upward pull ofsprings 11. The latter are maintained inactive by rods 9 being lookedthrough the engagement of their slots 21 with slotted portion 18 of therod aperture in plate 16, the upper part 12 of the trip frame beingatsuch time in backward position and the extremities of arms 13 thereofin forward position. The weight of a person or other heavy objectfalling into net or basket 21 draws forward the trip frame, movingrearward the extremities of arms 13 and plates 16, with the result thatthe rod-slots 20 are disengaged, and with the rods thus freed, they aredrawn upward by springs 11, thus lifting the guard frame, as shown in toprevent the forward portion of the fender from scraping on the track orroad-bed when approaching upgrades, also when the ''ad-' justment of thefender is such that but for the casters the guard frame would stand toollow. The roller elements :of the casters being ball-shaped, readilymaintain their position with relation to the rail, and when.

moved laterally at once =catc'h thens'ides or base of the rail. Each ofthe caster mountings consists of a movable or roller-carrying .part 23,and a fixed or base part 24, the latter being secured to frame 5. 25 isthe pivotbolt upon which the movable element oscillates when roundingcurves. is formed with a curved depression 26, with 'lug' 27 dependingthereintoframe part 23,; and arranged in this depression on opposite''sides of the lug are springs 28 which hold part 23 and the rollernormally centered,

returning the same to center position after they have been turned toeither one s1de or the other.

By the term netting employed in the claims, I include any and all formsof bottom structures that might 'be used for the purpose. The inventionmay be variously embodied, departing from the specific structures hereinshown and described, without avoiding the spirit and scope of theappended claims.

I claim 1. In a car fender, the combination of a forwardly extendingvertically movable frame, mechanism for holding the framedepressed, anetting or basket connected to the holding mechanism and to theforwardly extending frame and operating when a weight is placed upon itto exert a pull upon the holding mechanism sufficient to release theframe, and frame raising means operative when the frame is released.

2. The combinationof aforwardly extending vertically movable guardframe, a trip frame above and rearward from the front portion of theguard frame, means for raising the guard frame, -means operated by'thetrip frame for holding the guard frame depressed and for releasing thesame, and a netting secured to the guard frame and to the trip frame andoperating whena weightis placed thereon to so move the trip frame as torelease the guard frame.

8. The combination of a vertically movable forwardly extending guardframe, rods extending upwardly therefrom, springs Fixed part 24 adapted"to raise the rods and frame, "a trip frame above and rearward from thefront portion of the guard frame, devices operated by the trip frame forholding the :rods depressed and for releasing the same, land a nettingsecured to the front portion of the guard frame and to the trip frameand operating when a weight is placed thereon to so move the latter asto release the rods.

4. The :combination of a vertically movable forwardly extending guardframe, rods extending upwardly from the frame, brackets on the carthrough which the :rods extend, springs confined between the .upper endsof .the rods and the brackets, ..a trip frame above and rearward fromthe front portion of the guard frame, rod fholdingand and a nettingsecured to theforward portion of the guard frame and to the trip frameand adapted when a weight is placed thereon to so move the trip frame asto release the rods and permit the springs to raise the guard frame.

5. The combination of a vertically movable upwardly extending guardframe, rods extending upwardly therefrom, springs for raising the rodsand frame, a bail-sha ed Ltrip frame above and rearwardly from teffron't portion of the uard frame, rod engaging-devices actuated y thetrip frame and'adapted when the latter is oscillated backwardl y to holdthe rods depressed and the guard frame in lowered position, and anetting secured to the forward portion of the guard frame, and to thetrip frame and adapted when a weight is placed thereon-to oscillatetheguard frame forwardly and'release the rods.

6. The combination of a vertically movable forwardly extending guard.frame, rods projecting upwardly from the frame, 'bradkets through whichthe rods extend, a bailshaped trip frame having its end ,portions hingedabove their lower extremities, plates beneath said brackets and securedto the extremities of the trip frame, each of saidplates having a rodpassage formed withan offset, and each of said rods so slotted as tobeembraced and held by said offset, springs con fined on the rodsbetween their upperends and said brackets, and a netting secured .to theforward portion of the guard frame and to the trip frame and ada 'tedwhen a Weight is placed thereon to osci late the latter :and release therods.

7. The combination with a car fender, of a caster adapted to oscillatethereon, and oppositely acting springs connected to the casterfor'holding it normally inline with the track.

8. The combination with a car ifender, of casters depending therefromand adapted each to oscillate on a vertical pivot, a lug releasingdevices operated 'bythe trip frame,

projecting from the movable portion of the and having a lug dependinginto the recess, 10 caster mounting, and s rings at opposite and springsin said recess at opposite sides of sldes 0f the lug for holding thecaster northe lug.

mally centered. In testimony whereof I affix my signature 9. Thecombination with a car fender, of in presence of two witnesses.

casters depending therefrom, the mounting GEORGE R. OWINGS.

of each caster consisting of a fixed and a WVitnesses:

movable art, the fixed part having a recess, HARRY N. BAKER,

the move 1e part being pivoted to oscillate J. J. MEIsEL.

